The Undendowed American
by TancredTorssonLover
Summary: what happens when an American, and an UNENDOWED one at that, comes to Bloor's? Quite different from many OC's you'll read! Slight AU warning
1. The new endowed girl

**Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer:**

**Me no own, Charlie Bone **

**(a/n: I got that disclaimer from somebody.. I just don't remember who. If it was you, let me know, and ill give you credit.)**

**I don't own Charlie Bone but I DO own Soleil Shankar.**

"Tanc! Wait up!", Tanrced Torsson turned, his blonde hair snapping in the wind to look at who was calling him. Olivia Vertigo was running after him, her vivid blue and yellow hair streaming behind her. Every few steps she stumbled on her stiletto heels.

"Tanc! Have you heard?" Olivia stopped next to him, breathless, and leaned against the outer wall of Bloor's Academy while they waited for the bus. The other children, endowed and unendowed, milled about wrapped tightly in their colored cloaks and glaring at Tancred, the weather-bringer. A few voices could be heard muttering 'thank God it's Friday!'.

"What is it Olivia?" Tancred asked, bored. Considering that Olivia was often excited, and overreacted a lot, he didn't take her seriously. Olivia raised her eyebrows and crouched down dramatically.

"A new girl is transferring to Bloor's—in the _middle of the year_!" she cried triumphantly, leaping up. Everyone knew what transferring in the middle of the year meant: endowment.

"And by the way, Tanc, can you _please_ get this wind to _stop?_ It's ruining my dress and shoes," she complained as a cloud of some poor student's papers flew past.

"Look!" she said, indicating her elaborate blue and yellow dress and shoes. They were covered in miniscule fibers sticking up in fancy patterns.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Livvy. This wind isn't mine, but I'll stop it anyway," he raised his face into the wind, and it died down.

"Tanc, you really have no idea how cool your endowment is. Anyway, did you hear me? A new endowed girl is coming to Bloor's!"

Tancred smiled at Olivia, finally ready to listen.

"Really? When? Who is she? What can she do? How old is she? How did you find out?" he asked.

"Yes, really, stupid. She will be here next Monday. Her name is Soleil Shankar, and I don't know what she can do. She's 14 years old, just like we are! And I overheard Manfred boasting that he was the one to arrange her transfer here.

"If you see Charlie or Gabriel, tell them to meet at the Pets' Café tomorrow, and ask Gabe to bring extra gerbils, ok?" Olivia asked Tancred.

"Wait—Liv, who's going to tell Fidelio to come?" Olivia blushed, something unusual even for her.

"I will, of course", she muttered, and ran to catch her bus.

Tancred leaned against the stone wall of Bloor's waiting for his bus to come.

_Olivia and Fido are dating, and Emma and Gabriel. That leaves Lysander, Charlie, Benjamin, and… me. _Tancred thought about how upset he was when Fidelio had first asked Olivia out.

_Oh well. The new girl is my age. I just hope she isn't with the Bloors…_

Tancred sighed as he made his way onto the bus. Lysander, Gabriel and Fidelio had left on the early bus, and Charlie and Ben had gone home together. Tancred had to sit alone for the long ride home.

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The next morning, Tancred asked his father to drive him to the Pets' Café. (**an: sorry, I don't know the distances between people's houses, Bloor's and the Café, so I'm kind of making it up..) **Charlie, Benjamin, and Lysander were sitting around a table in the back, making quiet conversation. At the sight of Tancred, Lysander's velvety chocolate brown face lit up.

"Here, Tanc! Have a Green Heavenly," he said, offering him a chocolate cookie dripping with green icing with one hand, and sweeping back his black dreadlocks with his other hand. After the other boys had greeted him, Tancred sat down, followed by a warm gust of wind.

"For once, I finally got here in time to have a Green Heavenly," remarked Charlie, biting into his second confection.

"Last time Mr. and Mrs. Onimouse made them, you people had eaten them all!". Tancred started into his cookie with gusto.

"Thanks, Sander. Hey, Benjamin," Tancred said

"I'm glad your parents decided to let you come to Bloor's academy. We didn't get to see you very often when we were always in school". Benjamin smiled shyly at Tancred, ducking his head as Charlie mumbled his agreement through a mouthful of Green Hevenly.

At the beginning of last year, Charlie's friend Benjamin had decided to enroll at Bloor's Academy. Now his shyness and social awkwardness was nearly gone. _Probably because he deals with endowed kids like us every day_, thought Tancred.

_ding!_ The bell on the door of the café rang, and a melee of voices and long adolescent bodies crowded through the door and headed towards their table.

"Pull up a chair, a bunch of chairs, hurry up! I have exciting news!" Olivia cried, hopping from foot to foot, beaming. The chairs having been pulled up, Olivia sat down, her red, black, and white polka-dotted chiffon skirt swishing behind her. She kissed Fidelio on the cheek, and Tancred felt a pang in his chest.

_He _is _her boyfriend, after all,_ he thought wistfully, looking down and twisting his hands. An icy breeze passed over the group, and Lysander met Tancred's eyes, a wry, sympathetic smile on his face.

Gabriel and Emma sat down across from Charlie, their fingers entwined.

"I absolutely refused to tell anyone what the news was," began Olivia

"I didn't even tell Fido, because I want to tell everyone at the same time—well, not _all _of you, because I told Tanc on Friday."

The boys leaned forward in interest.

"Alright. So you know what it means when

someone transfers to Bloor's in the middle of the year, right?" she asked. They all nodded excitedly, except for Benjamin, who was new to Bloor's.

"It means you're endowed," whispered Charlie. Ben gave him a grateful nod.

"Well, there is a girl who's transferring to Bloor's… all the way from _America_," she paused to add dramatic interest to her monologue, smiling.

"I overheard Manfred boasting to the Branko twins that he was the one who discovered her and arranged the transfer, and her name is Soleil Shankar."

"So-_what _Shankur?" asked Gabriel, puzzled.

"No, Soleil Shankar " replied Olivia, pronouncing it "so-LAY shan-CAR".

A cacophony of questions greeted her ears.

"I don't know how she is endowed," Olivia said frowning. She liked to have all the information when telling a dramatic story.

Charlie began to speak.

"Listen, guys—"

"and girls!" interjected Emma.

"--and girls. If Manfred arranged her transfer, that means her family is either friendly with the Bloors, or he really did just happen to discover her. That means that we have to get her on our side as soon as possible, right? I mean, we can't let the Bloors get her!"

he finished and watched with sharp eyes as his friends began to plan on how to befriend the new girl.

"One question," Lysander's voice, with a slight British-African accent rang out

"how old is this new girl?". The table was silent for a moment, everyone wanting to hear the answer to the seemingly 'just curious' question, but Tancred could have sworn that his best friend was asking for a different reason.

"Oh," Olivia said flippantly "she's fourteen, like we are." She shared a 'girls-only' smile with Emma.

Was Tancred just imagining it, or did Lysander and Charlie look a little hopeful? Benjamin would never be interested in the new girl, he had a girlfriend, Silvie Toggs, who was unendowed just like he was, and in music. The table sat in silence as each person contemplated the meaning of the arrival of a new endowed girl, each thinking very different thoughts.

_Emma PoV: I wonder who this Soleil is. Lysander looked hopeful when Olivia said she was 14. I do worry about him being single, after I turned him down. I hope Gabriel doesn't become interested in her, too. _

She looked up at Gabriel, a worried smile on her face. He looked back, smiling, as he leaned down to kiss her lips softly and quickly.

_Oh, so no worries there…_

_Gabriel PoV: A new endowed girl. I wonder what her endowment is. Mine certainly is not very useful… Mmm, Emma smells so good._

He looked down at Emma, and kissed her softly.

_Benjamin PoV: A new girl. I wonder if Silvie knows her. She has a lot of pen pals in America…_

_Charlie PoV: I wonder if… no. I can't think about—what if..? No. I can't. I have bushy hair and… oh…_

_Lysander PoV: Soleil Shankar, Soleil Shankar, Soleil Shankar, it has a beautiful rhythm._

In his mind, Lysander began to piece together a picture of her. Chocolate skin, long black, African hair braided in tight plaits, deep, dark eyes. Maybe African, like himself.

_We probably have the same endowment, too! We must be soul mates…_

_Tancred PoV: Oh, Thor. I bet she'll be Scandinavian like I am. Maybe Finnish. Wispy blonde hair, blue eyes, icy pale skin with rosy cheeks… She is most definitely mine. I've been turned down enough times._

_Olivia PoV: This is so exciting. I hope she'll be in drama with me…_

Emma sneezed, breaking the spell. Charlie jumped up with a start.

"Ben! Come on! I told Mum we'd be home by 5:00! We need to go!" He grabbed Benjamin's arm and pulled him out of the chair.

"Sorry-bye-have-a-nice-day-and-see-you-on-Monday. Come on, Runner!" Charlie and Ben were already hustling through the door, followed by a chorus of farewells.

"I suppose I ought to go home too, Mum couldn't cook an edible meal to save her life," said Olivia wistfully, rising. Fidelio stood with her, his hand around her waist.

Tancred shuddered with jealously, and an icy wind swept through the small café, sending the last Green Heavenly into Runner Bean's waiting mouth. The lean dog smacked his lips and headed after Benjamin, finally satisfied.

"I must be off too," Emma stood with Gabriel.

"Ooh!" squealed Emma, as she tripped on the edge of her chair. Gabriel caught he in a tight embrace and stared into her eyes, mock-serious. She stared back smiling a tiny smile.

Lysander looked away, his chest burning. Tancred met his pain-filled eyes and stared back. They both shared the pain of rejection. Gabriel began to lower his head. Lysander swallowed hard. Gabriel's longish hair brushed against Emma's joy-filled face. She pushed up on to her tiptoes and their lips met. Lysander looked at the kissing couple. He stood suddenly, knocking his chair over in his haste. He rushed out of the shop, the bell on the door jingling loudly, startling the couple.

Emma and Gabriel broke out of their kiss. Gabriel gathered up his gerbils and left with Emma. Benjamin, Charlie, and Tancred stood, and went their different ways.

**(a/n: I kind of ran out of ideas at the end, so I just have them stand up and walk away… now, Tancred is on his knees making a puppy face and begging you to review!!!)**


	2. Soleil comes to Bloor's

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer:**

**Me: I own Charlie Bone! **

**You: cool! (bows down)**

**Jenny Nimmo and evil lawyer: she lies! She lies! Sue! Roar!**

**You: is it true? You have deceived me?**

**Me: yeah. I don't own him.**

**You: (faints with amazement)**

**Me: OHNO!! Wake up!**

**BUT I DO own Soleil Shankar , and don't you forget it!**

Charlie stepped off the music bus with Fidelio, quickly donning his blue cape before Manfred could see him without it. He waved to Benjamin, in his green art cape, who was standing with his girlfriend, Silvie, who was in music. He scanned the crowd of milling children quickly with his eyes, trying to find the new girl. He combed his hair back with his fingers hastily as Lysander and Tancred ran up.

"Hey, Charlie," Lysander said. Both he and Tancred were grinning elatedly.

"Sander and I met the new girl, and she's sitting with us at lunch!" Tancred whooped, loudly enough to turn a few heads.

"What's she in? Is she.. um.. nice…?" asked Charlie, wondering if she was pretty.

"She's in music, but she said that she might be changing to drama next year. And yes, Charlie, she is _gorgeous._ Her first class after chapel is a chamber trio with Fidelio and Silvie Toggs." Benjamin's girlfriend was a gifted harpist.

"With _me?_" squeaked Fidelio.

"Yeah. Don't worry, Fido, I don't think she's with the Bloor's. I don't know what her endowment is though. She said she'd rather not talk about it right then. Maybe she'll tell us at lunch," Tancred said, grinning.

"Hey, 'Livia, Emma, Gabriel!" Lysander said, as the three walked up.

"Guess what? Soleil is in music! With you, Gabriel! And she isn't with the Bloor's as far as we can tell. She's going to sit with us at lunch!"

"My, you seem…_excited_," quipped Olivia sullenly. She sighed loudly. She wasn't used to not being the center of attention. Lysander glared at her.

"'Scuse me," said a confident-sounding voice "do you know what time it is?"

Seven pairs of eyes turned to look at the new girl. She certainly wasn't what any of them had expected. She had doe-colored skin, and large, innocent-looking dark green eyes.

Her eyes, combined with her graceful, dancelike movements gave her a somewhat dangerous, feline look. Most remarkable, however, was her hair. It was dark brown, and brushed her elbows, shining in the morning sunlight. It was very curly, and anyone who saw her could have sworn they had never seen anything like her hair. It flowed around her face, blown back by the summer breeze. A small section of hair was pulled back with an elaborately carved wooden barrette.

She noticed the teenagers were staring, and she cocked an eyebrow and made eye contact with Tancred, who was staring most blatantly. She crossed her eyes.

"Oh—I , uh um," Tancred blushed. Olivia stared at him

"Tanc is _blushing_," she whispered, nudging Emma.

"It's eight –oh- two," said Charlie, nervously patting at his hair, which flattened for a moment, before wildly springing up again.

"Oh, thank you. I haven't met you yet, I've only met Benjamin, Silvie, Tancred, and Lysander." She turned towards Lysander, who stood up straighter. She tilted her head to the right slightly. Olivia noticed with a rush of jealousy how cute that pose was. She tilted her head as well, and noticed that from the corner of her eye, Emma tilted her head, too.

"What's going on here?" asked Fidelio, perplexed.

"Is there a girl-tilting-head disease going around?" he indicated the three girls' tilted heads. Soleil looked at him and smiled.

"No, it's just a girl thing. You'd understand it if you were a girl, too." She looked over at Olivia and Emma and smiled a 'girls-only' smile. They smiled back, immediately liking her.

Charlie decided to take charge.

"Um, I am Charlie Bo—"

"wait. Just wait. I'm trying to guess all of your names from the descriptions." She said. She began to skip side to side using a strange, elaborate pattern of footwork. Finally, she stopped skipping and pointed at them one by one

"You're Charlie Bone, you're Gabriel Silk, you're his girlfriend, Emma… Tolly, you're Olivia Vertigo, and you, are Fidelio Gunn!" she finished, smiling tentatively.

"Am I right?"

"Yes, you are. How'd you know?" said Fidelio, smiling. She didn't answer.

"You're in my chamber group right after chapel, you know. What instrument do you play, Fidelio?" asked Soleil, looking up at him with her big eyes.

"I play a bunch of instruments," he said easily. "and sometimes flute. What do you play?"

"I sing,"

"Ah."

" I memorized all of your endowments, too. Manfred Bloor sent me a list of all the endowed in this town, and made me memorize them all, because he didn't want me to stick out in the middle of the year. Not that that I don't anyways. I try to."

"Really?" asked Tancred

"what's your endowment?". She smiled shyly.

"I'd rather not say, right now. Maybe at lunch, or if we get a chance to go outside later today."

And before anyone could ask any questions, the bells in the chapel rang, and the children poured in through the double doors for assembly.

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After the assembly was over, Charlie ran over to Soleil.

"Hi, Charlie," she said, as she waved at Tancred, Lysander and Emma as they went to art.

"Um, hi, Soleil. D-d-do you n-need help finding your c-cl-class?" he stammered. He could feel his face heating up, and his hands began to sweat.

"Bone! No talking in the halls! Do you want detention?" Manfred Bloor came striding down the hall, his face distorted with rage.

"Um,"

"Um?! That is all you have to say for yourself?!"

"Mr. Bloor!" Soleil's clear voice rang out over the oppressive silence. Charlie could see heads turning in their direction.

"Yes, Miss Shankar?" Manfred turned to her, glaring, trying to summon up some last shreds of hypnotic power into his eyes.

Soleil lowered her head and crossed her legs. Manfred's eyes traveled down her legs to the hem of her above-knee blue skirt. She looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes and smiled at him before biting her bottom lip and looking away. Manfred's hands clenched together, then relaxed.

"Please, Mr.Bloor—"

"Manfred"

"—Manfred, don't give Charlie a detention. He was only trying to help me find my class. Please?" She met his eyes, and smiled, a dimple on her cheek showed.

Manfred looked startled. He dropped the paper he was holding to the floor. As he bent to retrieve it , Soleil bent down too, crouching down with her legs still crossed. Boys all down the hallway looked back at her. She lifted the paper from the floor, and handed it to him, dragging the fingertips of her left hand down the back of his and she did so.

Manfred shuddered and bit his lip.

"Mm…" his eyelids fluttered. Then he snapped his eyes open and looked at Charlie.

"Alright, Bone, no detention for you. But take it as a warning, next time…" he trailed off.

"Oh, thank you so much, Manfred!" cried Soleil. She grinned at him and tossed her hair.

"Let's go, Charlie," Charlie stared at her in shock, then began to lead her to her chamber group's practice room.

"What was that all about?" he whispered, looking back to see if Manfred was watching. He was stumbling, in a daze, back into the chapel, then emerging looking confused.

Soleil blushed, the rush of blood in her doe-colored face was like roses under honey.

"Oh, that was part of my… er… endowment." They had arrived at the door. Practice room 148.

"Thank you Charlie," Soleil said quietly, and hugged him.

"Oh," he said, stunned momentarily "no problem." He scratched his head awkwardly and walked to his piano lesson with his father.

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At lunch, Fidelio recounted his chamber music rehearsal with Soleil.

"She opened her mouth to sing, after Silvie and I had played the intro, and I was _amazed. _And you know that I am not easily amazed. Her voice was so, so _versatile._ And it's real, I think. It is not as perfect as an endowed imitator's voice, but that is the beauty of it." Fidelio moved his hands around dynamically as he spoke.

"She can have a very classically-trained-sounding voice, or a very young, pure-sounding voice. And she can read Latin, Italian and German quite well. Her voice is just _perfect _for madrigals!"

Charlie explained what he had seen between Manfred and Soleil that morning to his friends.

"She looked up at him from under her eyelashes, and _dazed_ him. He was so confused, that he walked into chapel when he meant to go up to the dormitories! I think she must be with the Bloors if she's that friendly with him," he said.

He kept the fact that she had hugged him to himself. _Can't have people being jealous of me, right?_ He thought, justifying himself. _Right. That's it. I am saving them from jealousy. Yeah._

"We're going to have to ask her about it," said Olivia decisively.

"I mean, Tancred and Lysander said she could eat with us, and I'm dying to hear what her endowment is."

"Hey, there she is!" said Tancred, looking at the end of the lunch line. He gave a loud wolf-whistle with his fingers in his mouth. Soleil looked over, and he waved. She blushes furiously, and smiled shyly, looking down. She made her way to their table. She sat next to Emma and gave Tancred a look.

"What was _that_ all about, Tancred Torsson?" she asked, raising one eyebrow and crossing her arms. Tancred turned red and grinned sheepishly.

"Forgive me?" he asked, making a puppy face. She tapped her foot, and gazed up at the ceiling, thinking.

"OK, Tancred. I forgive you," she grinned suddenly.

"Oh, I _love _school!"

Her friends at the table stopped eating to once more stare at her in awe. She read their expressions and sighed.

"Oh, I was homeschooled back in horrible old America, in the most beautiful state, Massachusetts. I _hated _it. I felt like a was missing a big part of my life…."

Emma nodded. She knew what Soleil meant about missing a part of her life.

"By the way, Fidelio, you are and _amazing_ musician. A _genius!_ I mean, Silvie is incredibly gifted, and harp is _so _beautiful, but you, you… There really are no words."

Soleil said, shaking her head in awe. She looked around at the other endowed teenagers.

"Seriously. He is a genius. Have you ever heard him play harpsichord? My God."

Fidelio ducked his head modestly.

"I just practice a lot, that's all."

"No way. You're way too good for that."

"Well you can sing amazingly too. Is that your endowment?" Fidelio asked. Soleil smiled.

"Thank you, and no, that's not my endowment. Though it would be awesome if it were. To be an imitator…" she smiled dreamily.

"Well then, Soleil, are you going to tell us about your real endowment yet?" asked Tancred, staring at her.

"Oh. Well, I—"

"Soleil, why don't you come sit with me? You can be at the head's table," an oily voice interrupted her. She looked up.

"Oh," she said. She looked down, and the endowed teenagers at the table could see her rearranging her expression from disgusted to seductive. She looked up at Manfred again, her voice honeyed. She batted her eyelashes.

"Oh, Manfred,I'm just making friends right now," she pouted "surely your won't begrudge me _friends_, would you?" Soleil's dimple appeared again. Manfred swallowed hard.

"N-no," he stammered. He gasped for air, gulped audibly, then turned unsteadily, and walked back to the head's table.

Soleil turned back to her new friends. She looked wistful, then laughed nervously.

"So." Said Tancred, looking at her in a new light.

"So." she mimicked, staring into his eyes, her expression one of suppressed irony. Tancred returned the look and raised his eyebrows. He waved his hand as if to say 'go on'.

"Um, that's part of my…" she coughed. "endowment. Oh, can we please _please _talk about this _outside_? Please?" she looked down, her face unreadable.

The endowed children shared looks.

"Alright," said Tancred, still struggling to understand what he had just seen.

"Outside it is."

"Thanks," Soleil whispered. Her voice trembled, and she shut her eyes. Suddenly, she stood.

"I'm not very hungry. I'll go drop off my tray. I'll see you outside."

She walked, very smoothly away from the table, pausing only to stack her tray by the door. She walked down the hallway, through the doors and into the bright sunlight. Some children were already outside, playing, laughing, talking. She saw them through blurred vision. She leaned against the wall as her dark green eyes spilled over.

At the first touch of hot tears on her cheek, she hastily them away with her purple sleeve. She didn't notice Tancred come up beside her.

"Hey," he said softly, not knowing what to do. Soleil squeezed her eyes shut tightly.

"don't cry." He gently touched her cheek, wiping a tear away. Soleil's eyes flew open. She looked terrible, he noted. Her eyes and nose were red. _She looks…_real._ She's beautiful _he thought.

"Tancred," she said, her voice catching on the last syllable. He met her eyes. He couldn't say anything.

"Thank you." She whispered. He smiled his easy, slow grin. Soleil's breath caught; he was so beautiful it made her ache.

"Anytime. I make it a hobby to save damsels in distress." He said, tapping her nose lightly.

"Now, are you going to come and tell us about your endowment?" She looked uncertain.

"Aw, c'mere." Tancred pulled her into a friendly hug. It started as a consoling embrace between friends, but something in the air made the relationship heighten almost imperceptibly. Tancred's hair began to crackle with electricity. They both felt electricity wherever their skin was touching. It lasted much longer than necessary. Without letting go, Tancred looked down at her. Soleil's heart began to race; his face was oh, so close. She could feel his warm breath on her face.

_Oh lord, _she thought _he can probably feel my heart beating lime a maniac butterfly._

"Ready now?" he whispered. Soleil nodded.

"Hey, you two!" Olivia raced towards them, followed by the rest of her endowed friends, plus Benjamin, Silvie and Fidelio.

"What _were_ you guys doing?" she asked suspiciously. Lysander's face was dark with rage.

"Nothing, Olivia. We were_ doing _nothing. Just talking." Said Soleil casually. To Tancred's surprise, Olivia didn't argue with Soleil. He knew it was a lie; he too had felt the tingling in the air. _Something _had happened. But no one argued. They studied Soleil's face, then decided that she was telling the truth, and moved on.

Soleil put her hand on Tancred's arm. Lysander's eyes moved to rest on her hand. Faint, faint drumbeats echoed through the air. Soleil stopped to listen.

"Hey, these are Senegalese African rhythms aren't they?" she cried, gleefully looking at Lysander who smiled.

"Yeah, why?"

"I do African dance," she said, already performing one complicated step after another, shaking her hips the whole time. The boys' eyes were captive. Suddenly, Soleil stopped dancing, and Lysander's drums faded away.

Soleil took Tancred and Lysander by the wrists and pulled them over to the shade of a tree. She looked back over her shoulder.

"Come on, I'm going to tell you now." They gathered under the tree.

"So, um. First of all, I'm not endowed." The stared at her, uncomprehending. Olivia was the first to break out of her stupor.

"What do you _mean_, 'not endowed'?!" she cried indignantly. Soleil bit her lip and looked down, shamefaced.

"I mean: I. Am. Not. En. Dowed." She said stiffly. No one said anything.

"Let me explain. In America, I was desperate to go to school. I wanted more than anything to go to a public school. I was missing out on my _life._

My parents, however, thought that all the close public schools were unsuitable. I now see that they were right, but I didn't see that then. So I asked if I could go to a private school. They said they would love to let me, but my family didn't have enough money.

I had read about Bloor's Academy before, I saw their advertisement in a magazine. So I bet my parents and some uncles $100US each that I could get myself a scholarship for dance and voice in the middle of the year.

They thought I couldn't do it, so they inflated the odds so that if I won the bet, I would get $300US from each of them. So I wrote to Manfred Bloor, who is a sick, twisted… never mind. I told him that I was endowed. And he believed me. That was one talent of mine that I never revealed: I can lie, and people believe me."

Here she stopped talking and looked up, twisting her perfect hands and gauging expressions.

"Go on," instructed Lysander, transfixed. Soleil took a deep breath and continued.

"Somehow, Manfred got the idea that I was _his_, because he had arranged my transfer. When my parents heard that I had gotten the scholarship, they were elated, and I had enough money to buy a plane ticket here, and some food." She stopped again.

"The 'endowments' Manfred knows about" she made quotation marks in the air.

"are dance and dazzling. I can dance very well, that's no secret, so I told Manfred I could weave good luck out of thin air by dancing a very long and intricate ritual dance. I also told him that it takes extreme stamina, and have only done it once, after which I collapsed for three days. I just really don't want him to make me 'do it again'.

The dazzling thing you probably noticed. All it is, is basic flirting. I flirt galore, and Manfred thinks he's getting something good. And that's why I was so angry at lunch. I _hate _Manfred with _such _a deep loathing… oh." She clenched her fists.

"Well, that's it." Olivia looked at Soleil with a deep respect.

"Wow, you're brave," she said. The bell rang.

"Oh no!" cried Soleil.

"I don't remember what my next class is!" Tancred put his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, 'Leil, it's homework in the King's Room."

"Thanks," she replied gratefully. The group began walking towards the doors as Benjamin, Silvie, and Fidelio went upstairs.

**Look at that, will you? This chapter is ELEVEN PAGES LONG!!**

**I should be getting extreme reviews (please!!!!)**

**Look, cute lil Tancred is begging you!!! Push the button!**


	3. Kissing in class

**Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer: I own Charlie Bone**

**You: Really?**

**Me: No.**

**(a/n: I still own Soleil Shankar tho.)**

**PLEASE SEE MY A/N AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER, CUZ IT'S NOT VERY CLEAR…**

In the King's Room, the endowed children sat doing their homework in silence. Soleil wasn't there. Manfred paced at the front of the room irritably, waiting for her to come. Lysander exchanged looks with Tancred. _Where was she?_ None of the endowed teenagers (those against the Bloors, of course.) could stop thinking about the girl who wasn't really endowed.

The door creaked open, and Soleil skipped into the room, holding a dangerously stacked pile of papers and books. She was humming the madrigal that she had learned that morning with Fidelio and Silvie.

_So ben mi C'ha bon tempo, so ben mi C'ha bon tempo, _

_Fa la la la, Fa la la la la la la! _

_Al so ma basta mo! Al so ma basta mo, _

_fa la la la, la, la, la, la la la la la!_

"I present to you the late Miss Shankar." ( a/n: this "late Miss is from Beverly Cleary's The Luckiest Girl) Said Manfred, glaring at Soleil. He and several of his friends snickered at his joke.

"Thank you for deciding to join us, Miss Shankar." He said sarcastically.

"You're welcome." Said Soleil, flipping her hair and flouncing to the seat that Lysander indicated, between him and Tancred. She set her pile of books on the table and stared at it until it stopped rocking.

"Stay." She whispered. Tancred chuckled. She glared at him.

"It's not _funny_, _Mr._ Torrson." She whispered. Manfred looked at her hard. He seemed to make up his mind about something.

"Miss Shankar, please stand up in front of the class and introduce yourself. Soleil looked at him incredulously. Manfred glared.

"_What _is it?" he growled.

"Please," she said musically, sliding out of her chair in one fluid movement and walking on tiptoes to the front of the King's Room. She tapped Manfred on the shoulder, making him jump.

"You forgot to say 'please', Manfred; and everyone knows always to say 'please' to a lady." She turned and face the class, angling herself towards 'the Bloor's side'. One of the Branko twins glared a hard bolt of hate at Soleil. Soleil smiled back sweetly. Asa only stared.

"My name is Soleil Shankar and I am from the land of America where both Disneyland and Disneyworld are, even though I have never been to either one. In my country, movie stars are all bitches and they walk around looking like her," here she paused and pointed at Dorcas Loom, who began shaking with rage.

"And a lot of my friends are drug addicts because their boyfriends are dealers. Um, and…." She looked at her table and winked. She turned and looked at Manfred.

"Enough?" she asked.

"No, add bit about _yourself._"

"Fine." Soleil let out a long-suffering sigh and went on.

"I'm fourteen years old, I'm endowed," she smirked

"and if you mess with me, I break your neck." She smiled serenely at the twins, Dorcas and Asa. She turned and smiled, if possible, even _more _serenely at Manfred.

"_capiche? _Good. I think I'm done now, Manfred—_sir_." She turned and went back to her seat. She began on a math sheet. She looked at it in complete horror.

"Somebody, help me. Please. I _suck _at math." She whispered.

"you mean you _what _at maths?" asked Gabriel.

"I. Suck. At. Math." She said slowly.

"maths." Corrected Gabriel. Understanding lit up Soleil's features.

"Ah, 'suck' is American slang for 'am horrible at', and we call 'maths' 'math'!"

"Oh," said Gabriel.

"Tancred are you any good at this stuff?" she asked mournfully showing him the paper. He shook his head regretfully. They both stared at the paper in silence. Lysander looked over Soleil's shoulder.

"Oh, I can help you with that," he offered. Soleil turned to look at him.

"I mean, if you want." She smiled.

"Of course I do, thanks a ton, Lysander."

"Anytime." They bent over the paper together, while Lysander taught Soleil how to factor trimonials.

" if it reads _x_ squared, plus 7plus 10, you would write the answer like this," he said, writing _(x+5)(x+2)_.

"get it?" he said, looking at her. She was so cute. Her forehead was wrinkled in concentration, the tip of her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth. He reached over and rubbed her forehead gently, relaxing the tense muscles.

"Relax, OK? It will be easier if you stay relaxed." She nodded gratefully.

Suddenly, what could only be described as a 'lightbulb-popping-up-above-head moment', or and epiphany happened. Soleil's face lit up, as she multiplied the trinomial out to equal the original equation.

_X squared + 2x + 5x + 10 x squared + 7x + 10_

Tancred was watching her. How beautiful she was. He was so enrapt, that he almost brought rain when Soleil kissed Lysander on the cheek and whispered

"Thank you so much, Lysander."

"Mr. Torsson!" Manfred's voice lashed out. Tancred looked up.

"Yes?—sir?"

"Stop staring at Miss Shankar and get to work!" Tancred blushed, as did Soleil. Snickers could be heard around the room.

"And Miss Shankar!" snapped Manfred. Soleil raised her head and cocked it to the side, an impish expression on her face.

"yes, your excellency?" she asked innocently. Manfred gave her a resentful stare.

"Kissing is _forbidden _in the King's Room." Soleil didn't even blink.

"ok, Manfred, your honor. I just hope you remember that too, sir. I do wonder why you're telling me that, though, sir." Manfred raised an eyebrow.

" You just kissed Lysander on the cheek, Soleil." He said. She began to lie.

"Tancred _wasn't _staring at me, sir, and I did _not _kiss Lysander!" she trilled.

"Yes he— yes you-- " Soleil interrupted him, willing him to believe her lie by adding a layer of 'dazzle' to her voice.

"Manfred," she sing-songed "he _wasn't._ And I _didn't ._" She looked at him from the corner of her eye. She pouted her lips.

"Oh. You're—right. He didn't stare—at—you. Yes. No—kisses. Happened. True.." Manfred unsteadily walked behind his desk and sat down with a thud.

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**NOW R&R!!!sorry this last chappie was kinda short. I take flames…. But I don't like em…. If you see any typos plz let me know!** Malaika (my middle name)

**Ok, so here is my A/N:**

**Soleil is not endowed AT ALL. She is a good dancer, and a good flirt. That's ALL. The reason why she can lie to anyone is because (1) she puts all her heart into it and (2) because Manfred has a crush on her, he believes her. Comprende? If its still no clear, please tell me and I'll try to stick in a part that will clear it up… as much as I hate clarifying things in A/N's, I really have no idea where to put an expository section… I suck at those… eny suggestions? LITTLE BLUEY PURPLEY BUTTON!!**


	4. Banter After Midnight

**Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer:**

**CHARLIE BONE IS MINE! MINE! not. **

**BIG HUMONGOUS AND IMMENSE THANKS TO MY HEAVENLY DELICIOUS BETA, BECKY CREIGHTON!!!**

Soleil woke to an irritating tapping sound. As she stretched and rolled over, the tapping increased its speed. She sat up and looked at the window, where the sound was coming from. There was a tiny brown nuthatch tapping on the windowpane.

Soleil groaned and stepped out of bed. She crawled over to Emma's bed, only to see that it was empty.

_She's probably in the bathroom_, she thought. She crawled over Emma's bed and stretched to reach the window latch. She twisted it slowly, wincing as her morning ears were assaulted with creaks and groans from the woodwork and the rusty hinges. She levered the window up a crack, and the nuthatch wormed in just as Soleil dropped the heavy window back in its groove with a dull thud. She started at the sound and looked around, hoping that no one had woken up.

"You're lucky I didn'tt drop the window on you, Birdie." She said, grumbling. She cleared her throat. "So, you going to tell me why you woke my up at—"she glanced at the clock hanging over the dormitory door and winced "3:43 am?". The bird cheeped and hopped over to Emma's bed, where Soleil was sitting.

"Ow," Soleil mumbled, lying back, her legs trailing on the floor.The nuthatch's little claws had pierced her thigh, and a ruby bead of blood was forming. She raised her leg so she could look at the puncture.

"That's probably going to get infected, you know." She said sourly, glaring at the little bird. She lifted her knee to her chest and licked the drop of blood away. She heard a giggle, then Emma's voice whispered "Eew! That's gross!"

Soleil started, the nuthatch was gone, in its place was Emma Tolly

"Emma!" she whispered. "I should have though it was you, I should've remembered your endowment!"

Emma smiled and whispered, "You look awful. Your hair is sticking up in horns." She pointed. Soleil touched her head and grimaced.

"Oh, Lord, why does this always happen to my hair?" she asked, rolling her eyes and trying to tuck the points of hair behind her ears.

"It really bothers me, it takes forever to get the points to go away. Grr!" she growled tugging at the 'horns' sprouting from near hertemples. "This is really, really annoying." Emma watched, rocking with silent laughter as the horns tucked behind Soleil's ears, only to pop back up again. (a/n: this really happens to me every single morning)

Soon Soleil gave up and flopped onto her back in resignation.

"I hope you don't mind that I'm on your bed, Emma," she said, grinning. Emma shook her head. "It's fine." She said.

"Why was the window shut when you left to go flying? Who shut you out?" asked

Soleil. Emma pointed the the opposite row of beds, by the door. "Dorcas 'Dorc' Loom. She always shuts me out." She whispered. Soleil nodded sympathetically.

"I would say 'I know how it feels, but I can't fly. So, I _think _I know how it feels. So, do you go flying in the 'wee hours' very often?" she asked Emma. Emma nodded.

"I like the freedom of flying at night. It's amazing, I mean, you can see and see until the edges of the world…" she trailed off and sighed, hugging her knees to her chest Soleil fiddled with the edge of her nightshirt and looked down.

"I—" she cleared her throat "I wish I could—fly" She whispered. "When I was little, I used to really and truly believe that I could. I would hold on to each of my braids and lift my feet, and I would go drifting up to the ceiling. As I got older, it didn't happen

any more."

Emma looked at Soleil silently and noticed that she looked miserable.

"Now, I know that I never actually flew, but I think my soul did, you know?" She paused and looked up at Emma who nodded slowly. Soleil sighed and rolled onto her side.

"That was the best time ever." She murmured. She sat up, yawning.

"I had better get back in my own bed, you probably want to sleep." She said hurriedly, getting up and walking the two steps to her own bed. She crawled in between the covers and pulled them over her head. She began to cry, silently cursing herself for being so stubborn about coming to Bloor's.

_Why did I think that I could pull it off?_ She wondered I can't keep up this charade for so long. _I should be in drama for all of the acting I do_, she thought sarcastically.

Emma heard a sniff and realized that Soleil was crying. She padded out of bed and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Soleil? Are you okay?" she whispered, gently pulling back the blankets. Soleil's face was wet, and her eyelashes were stuck together in clumps. Soleil sat up and leaned against the wall.

"I'm okay, I just miss home, and my friends." She said. "At home, I knew everybody around me. I couldn't go outside without seeing someone I knew. But here, I know only a few people. They are wonderful people, though." She added, smiling a watery smile. Emma plopped down on Soleil'sbed.

"Let's chat,"she said, crossing her legs. "Alright," said Soleil, without much conviction.

"So."Said Soleil.

"So, what do you think about the boys so far?"asked Emma with a mischievous smile. Soleil smiled slyly.

"Well, they're all incredibly attractive. I've never seen so many attractive people in one place before. I think it's something about European air. I think you're breeding models!" she said.

"You fancy any of them?"asked Emma.

"It's my first day! I like them all as friends, I think. And Tancred was really, um, friendly today. I don't know, Emma. All I know is that everyone is so eager to help me get situated. Everyone's so friendly and, I don't know. You're all wonderful."

Emma nodded forcefully "I know what you mean,"she said,contemplating. "Now, Soleil, do you mind if I ask you some questions?"

"Should I include that one? I work on a pay-per-question basis. 50 cents per question."She said jokingly.

Emma frowned "that's one thing that we are going to have to work on: your money skills. We don't use dollars and cents in England." Soleil clapped her hands over her mouth.

"Oh! You're right! I forgot to look it up on the internet! Can you help me learn the exchange?"

Emma laughed quietly "I'm sure that there are many people who will be more than happy to help you. Now, can I ask you some more questions or not?"

Soleil grinned and yawned "sure, shoot."

"Do you ever paint your nails?"

"Yes, but I'm not good at it."

"Have you dyed your hair?

"Yes, navy blue last summer."

"Have you ever had a boyfriend?"Soleil shook her head, making a mock-tragedy face.

"No, I haven't."

"Tampons or pads?"

"I hate periods altogether, but if I have to choose, tampons."

"Me too. Warm colors or cool colors?"

"Both. I love blues and reds and oranges"

"Silver or gold?"

"Silver, always."

"Do you like to stand out?"

"Always."

"Would you rather have Tancred, Lysander or Charlie?" Soleil stopped, and looked at Emma in disbelief.

"Are you serious? You expect me to answer that after my first day?" Emma nodded, her eyes twinkling in the faint glow of near-morning. Soleil sighed and threw herself on her back, so she and Emma were lying side by side.

"Okay, Tancred."

"Really?"

"Um, yeah?"

"Wow."

"What?"

"He's really intense."

"What do you mean?"

"Hey who's asking questions now?"Emma asked. Soleil grumbled.

"You are."

"Right. So be quiet and answer."Soleil nudged Emma, making her giggle.

"I'm ticklish. Are you?"

"Yes. Every part of my body is, except my ears!"

"English or Math?"

"Manfred or Dr. Bloor?"

"Are you joking?!?!"

"No."

"Argh."

The two girls bantered until the sun began to peek and prod with her golden fingers over the window ledge, sending spidery streaks of yellow light across the floor. The clock read 5:59. Emma looked up at the clock.

"Wow, we talked for a long time."Soleil yawned and voiced an unintelligible agreement.

"Do you think I can take a shower to get rid of these?"She asked, indicating the horns of hair with an irritable tug.

"Yes, and I'll wake Livvy up so she can come shower, too. We have to wait one minute, anyway. Matron will absolutely kill you if you're out of bed a moment before 6:00 am."S oleil sprang out of bed and began shaking Olivia energetically

"Woo hoo! Woo hoo! Wake up, wake up, wake up! Tra la! OLVIA VERTIGO

WAKE UP NOW!" she whisper-screamed into Olivia's ear while Emma pulled down the bedclothes. Olivia groaned.

"Gerroffmeyoufools"she slurred. Soleil giggled, and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Emma and I want to take showers before anyone else takes up the hot water. Hurry up. We have exactly 30 seconds before 6:00 am." She said to Olivia.

"Is she always this hard to wake up?" she asked Emma. Emma nodded woefully.

"Harder. But that way, she always misses a warm shower, and then she's crabby all through breakfast. Olivia, let's--oomf!" she grunted. Olivia had kicked her in the stomach.

"The woes of friendship. "She said, making a mock-sad face. Soleil laughed.

"If Olivia's that crabby after having ten hours of sleep, think how bitchy we'll be, after chatting away from 3:40 to now!" She grinned. Olivia sat up, her tousled hair sticking up every which way.

"Mbezzledyhop?"she asked sleepily.

"Olivia, we're taking you to get a hot shower for the first time ever." Said Emma.

"'Mgonna schtayinbed"

"Here, you take the legs." aid Soleil, holding Olivia under her arms. Emma looked confused, then lifted Olivia's legs. Olivia quealed as her friends half-carried, half-dragged her out of the dormitory into the corridor.

"Wait, I need my robe!" said Olivia, breaking free of the Glaze Of Sleep. She wriggled free of her captors and raced back into the room, rooting around under her bed for her yellow and purple terry robe. Soleil took out her blue robe, and Emma found her pale green one.

The three girls raced to the bathrooms. They burst through the door,laughing and chattering noisily. The bathroom was full of steam. As they looked for hooks to hang their robes on, they heard Tancred's voice scream,

"STOP!"

**Well, whaddya know, a real, live cliffie by Yours Truly! Isn't that exciting! I wrote a cliffie, I wrote a cliffie!! (In case you haven't noticed, I'm EXCITED. I've never done that before despite my endeavors.)**

**Thanks again to Becky Creighton, the One and Only Amazing Beta of ME!!**

**Now, look—Tancred is begging you—in a towel, no less—to review! How can you resist his beautiful blondness and gorgeous weather-bringer-ness?**

**See him weep as you pass the blue button without a glance! No? What's this? You're turning back, moved by the beseeching eyes of Tancred! You press the button!!!! Halleujah!! The world is safe!**


	5. Pushing Tancred too far

**Disclaimer:**

**I don't own Charlie Bone or any of the C.O.T.R.K, Soleil Shankar is my creation, though.**

**Thank you to my heavenly beta, Becky Creighton, who saved my LIFE (and chapter 4).**

Last chapter:

_The three girls (Soleil, Emma, Olivia) skipped to the bathroom, chattering and laughing gaily. They burst through the bathroom door. The bathroom was full of steam, and as they looked for hooks to hang their robes on, Tancred's voice screamed "Stop!!"_

**Chapter 5**

Soleil, Emma, and Olivia stopped, shocked, and stared at Tancred. The weather boy's hair was mussed and wet, hanging in front of his face in an endearingly tousled way. Steam from the hot showers swirled around him, giving him a mystical look. But best of all, he was wrapped in a short white towel, his torso bare.

The two parties stared at each other for a silent moment, until Lysander, Charlie, and Gabriel's voices asked "are they gone yet?". Tancred blinked in confusion, before shouting, "out! Out! Get out! We're dressing!".

The three girls stumbled out of the bathroom in silence and confusion. Once outside, Emma turned and pointed.

"Oh, I didn't notice, we were in the lad's bathroom!" Soleil snorted in the most unattractive way, and silent tears of mirth flowed down Olivia's her face.

"Did you see Tanc's face?" Olivia asked, shaking. "That was priceless!"

"You know what was even more priceless?" asked Soleil, smiling mischievously "his _chest. _Ooh, I'm dying to touch it, run my hands down—"

"Ahem?" Tancred cleared his throat imperiously behind them. Soleil stopped in mid-sentence.

"Oh. Oops." She giggled. Emma and Olivia giggled too, blushing.

"What?!" asked Tancred irritably, obviously more embarrassed by the situation than any of the three girls were.

"Nothing. We were just, er, reprimanding ourselves for our stupidity to enter the lad's bathroom without looking. Goodbye." Emma said quickly, before pushing through the swinging door to the girl's bathroom. Her friends quickly followed, leaving an extremely baffled—but handsome—weather-bringer standing in the hall.

In the bathroom, Olivia took off her robe, exposing the round breasts that Soleil had heard boys talking of the night before. Emma turned and took off her robe and stepped into the shower through a bead curtain. Soleil shyly took off her robe, and looked up, only to see Olivia staring at her. She raised her eyebrows in question.

"Oh, I never see new breasts in school any more, I need a change" she said, staring blatantly at Soleil's chest. Soleil cupped her breasts in her hands, they barely filled them.

"Ugh. I hate them. I wish I had yours. Do you know how many people think I am younger than my 12 year old sister because of these? They're so tiny." She complained.

"They're nice. They're just about the size of Tancred's hands." Olivia teased. "They might get bigger if you gain weight."

"I'm just going to let the remark about Tancred go unheard. I try and try to gain weight. It doesn't work. Oh well," she replied, following Olivia through the bead curtain into the shower.

They were the only three girls in the shower. Emma was peacefully showering under the wide, large rain of the enormous showerhead.

"This is the weirdest shower I've ever seen," remarked Soleil as she poured shampoo over her head.

"Really? Why?" asked Emma, scrubbing up and down her legs with a sponge.

"Well, who ever heard of a community shower? I have never seen a shower-room in which you all take a shower in the same large stall, with water raining down like endless rain." Soleil said, shaking water out of her eyes.

The girls finished showering, put on their robes, dressed in the dormitory, and went down to chapel.

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"Tancred! Ly! Charlie! Gabe! Fido!" shouted Olivia, attracting stares. "Come sit with us!" The boys had entered the dining hall for lunch, but of the five of them, only Fidelio was heading towards the usual table. Olivia stood up as the rest of the boys ignored her.

"Fi, you stay here—_don't move._ Emma, Soleil, get two each. I'll help with resistance if any occurs. Ladies, to war!" Soleil grinned. The three girls stood and walked over to the table at which Benjamin Brown and Silvie Toggs were sitting with the boys.

Soleil put her hand on Tancred's shoulder, and she could feel a tingle of static in her palm. She put the other hand on Lysander's head, running her fingers in his dreadlocks.

"Time to come, boys." She said smiling, watching Emma take Gabriel on a guilt trip—_you're my boyfriend, right? Then come sit with me!!_. The boys shook their heads.

"Are you sure that's your final answer?" asked Soleil. The boys nodded.

"Well then you just don't know who you're messing with." She smiled evilly and clenched her hands in their hair, one head fair, one coarse. She began walking back to her table, still holding the boys by the hair. She held on tight.

"Soleil, you do know that I can electrocute you?" asked Tancred in a dangerously low voice. "And that Lysander can have his spirit ancestors chop off your hands?" Soleil smiled sweetly, looking down at the two adolescents.

"Of course I know that. And I also know that your both love me wayyyy to much to even _think_ about that sort of thing. Now, cut this crap and come sit with me. Will you be so kind as to comply?" she asked. The boys shook their heads, gritting their teeth.

"Oh, well, it's too bad I had to resort to _this_—" with that, she yanked their hair, pulling a grunt from each of them. "Will you come_ now?"_ They nodded.

At lunch, if one looked over at the table of the endowed teenagers, one would catch glimpses of animated faces, the hands of the speaker gesturing wildly in the air, while laughs and shrieks of 'that's not how it was! It was so!' echoed about.

The girls were recounting and reenacting their adventure into the lad's bathroom.

Tancred was blushing furiously, obviously the most embarrassed of them all. Soleil looked at him curiously.

"Tancred, why are you the most embarrassed? It's not like we saw anything or… um, you know… _anything."_ She said, smiling. Tancred looked at his hands, twisting in his lap. Electricity was building in his hair. Emma motioned for Soleil to leave him alone. She could see that he was getting worked up, but didn't understand.

"Hm, Tancred? You gonna answer me?" she asked. That pushed Tancred to his limit. With not a sound, he pushed back his chair and left the cafeteria with long strides.

"Now you've done it." Said Lysander ominously. Everyone watched Soleil to see what she would do. Her face crumpled terribly, and for a moment they thought she would cry. Then she steeled herself, and collected Tancred's abandoned lunch dishes along with her own and carefully, as if she were treading on eggshells, walked to the doorway, before politely piling the dishes into a washbasin filled with soapy water. She left the cafeteria.

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As soon as she was out of earshot of the cafeteria, Soleil began running. She pounded down the corridor until she was in the lobby. Tancred was sitting on the steps in a dejected position, hurling small lightning bolts at the marble floor.

"Tancred," she whispered, scared that he would hurt her. He looked up, surprised, before looking down. He stopped throwing lightning. Soleil walked across the rotunda and sat down on a step below him. She looked down, before placing her hands on his knees, palms up. A gesture of peace.

"Tancred, I'm sorry. I don't know what I did, but I'm sorry. Please tell me what I did. I'll never do it again. I just can't have you like this, doing that." She gestured at the floor. Black scorch marks zigzagged along it, scarring the floor." She looked away as she spoke, looking anywhere but his face, _his beautiful chest—nope, not an option either._

"Tancred?" she asked, fearing the worst. Tancred couldn't answer, not with her hands sitting on his legs. Not with her heady scent wafting up at him like that.

Soleil's face crumpled, and her eyes filled with tears. "Okay, Tancred, if that's how you want it." She turned away, leaving.

Tancred reached out and caught her hand, turning her to him. "I can't tell you what you did. I will someday. I forgive you. And _I'm _sorry that I acted that way. Truce?"

Soleil looked torn. Torn between what she wanted to know and what she knew had to happen.

"Okay, Tancred. Truce." She reached out and hugged him, leaning against the wall as he pressed his weight onto her. She kissed his cheek; a friendly gesture, no more. Her eyes were guarded.

They sat together in silence, her arms around his neck and his around her waist. They sat that way for some time, their breath the only sounds in the hall. Finally, Tancred moved and spoke one word, "_Look."_

He raised his hands and small white clouds gusted in through a window. They carried little wildflowers and dropped them at his feet. Tancred began to weave the flowers into Soleil's hair.

He was awkward at first, and his hands shook, but soon they became more sure and firm, weaving the beautiful small star-flowers into her loose hair.

When he finished, he turned her to face him; ever so gently. He looked at her, his face lighting up with joy.

"You look beautiful." He said softly, ducking his head and blushing. She didn't know what to say. For the longest time, she stared at him, her brown eyes boring into his grey.

Suddenly, Olivia burst into the hallway, shouting loudly. "Taaaancred! Soleeeeeeiiil!" She stopped dead when she saw them. She backtracked quickly.

"I'm really sorry! Did I interrupt you?" she asked, contrite. They shook their heads nervously.

"No, Olivia; you didn't. We were, ah, just talking." Tancred nodded his agreement to Soleil's statement. Olivia looked distrustfully at them and nodded slowly.

"Oh, alright. I just came to tell you that we have early study in the Red King's Room. It's this period instead of math. The math teacher is sick today. I'll be leaving now." And with that, she skipped back down the hallway, humming.

Tancred stood and held out a hand for Soleil; she took it and didn't let it go. They walked to class in silence, holding hands. When they reached the door of the King's Room, Soleil turned to Tancred and hugged him again, briefly.

"Thank you for the flowers." She whispered into his ear. Tancred smiled and opened the door with a loud creak.

**Sorry this chapter ends so abruptly!! The next chapter is much better! This was just a bit of fluffy filler, more to appear in chapter six! By the way, the reason why Tancred got upset with her was that everyone except Soleil knows that he loves her (yes, evern after 3 days, you will see why he likes her so quickly in chapter 7)**

**Please R&R! **

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**thanks!**


	6. The flowers in a maiden's hair

**Disclaimer:**

**I don't own Charlie Bone or any of the C.O.T.R.K, Soleil Shankar is my creation, though.**

**Thank you to my heavenly beta, Becky Creighton, who saved my LIFE (and chapter 4). Becky, I'm sorry I didn't send you these last two chapters, please look them over and tell me if there's anything wrong-- I'll change it!**

Last chapter:

_"Oh, alright. I just came to tell you that we have early study in the Red King's Room. It's this period instead of math. The math teacher is sick today. I'll be leaving now." And with that, Olivia skipped back down the hallway, humming._

_Tancred stood and held out a hand for Soleil; she took it and didn't let it go. They walked to class in silence, holding hands. When they reached the door of the King's Room, Soleil turned to Tancred and hugged him again, briefly._

_"Thank you for the flowers." She whispered into his ear. Tancred smiled and opened the door with a loud creak._

**Chapter 6**

They walked into the room, heads down, and Tancred sat down. Their friends watched in anticipation; where would Soleil sit? She looked over at Lysander, and he gave Soleil an angry look; she looked away, upset. All of their friends seemed to understand why Tancred had gotten angry during lunch; and they held it against her.

They exchanged confused glances when Soleil sat beside Tancred. He squeezed her hand under the table.

Manfred, sitting at his desk and picking at his fingernails glared sourly at Soleil and Tancred.

"Miss Shankar, Mr. Torsson, you're late. Detention on Saturday!" Soleil moved as if to protest, but instead looked down, ashamed.

The Branko twins had noticed the flowers in her hair, and they used their telekinetic abilities to lift them, one by one into the air and smash them on the floor, leaving wet spots of bedraggled petals everywhere. They began to giggle every time they could pull Soleil's hair when removing a flower. Manfred looked around for the source of the distraction. He motioned for the twins to stop their game.

Manfred looked sternly at Soleil and walked over to her, his hard-heeled boots clicking ominously on the hard stone floor. He stopped behind her.

"Miss Shankar," he said loudly. She turned to look at him, feeling miserable.

"_Why_ do you have flowers in your hair; and more importantly, _how_ did you get them?" he asked imperiously.

Soleil pushed back her chair so she could glare at Manfred with more force. She didn't answer. Manfred scowled down at her and repeated himself; this time, his voice was low and angry.

Soleil answered him, her voice just as low, just as soft, and even more chilling and icy than his voice was. She answered him with her head up, glaring at him.

"These flowers are a—a gift." She said, being sure not to look at Tancred.

"They were put in my hair as a gift. As to 'why', it is merely because the one who gave them to me felt like giving them to me." She held his gaze, her eyes burning.

Manfred took her wrist, making her gasp; his hand was like fire, burning into the tender flesh of her wrist. He pulled her out of her chair to stand beside her desk.

"_Miss_ Shankar, will you kindly tell us the _name_ of the person who so kindly wove flowers into your hair?" His voice was sarcastic and short.

"No, sir." She said softly. Her eyes were closed against the pain of his hand on her wrist.

"Then you will have to remove them at once." Manfred said, letting her wrist go. There blossomed a hideous red mark, in the shape of a hand. It coiled around her wrist like a manacle. Tancred started in his chair, as did his friends. This was disturbing. What had Manfred's hands done?

Soleil reached up to the crown of her head, and slowly, ever so slowly untangled one flower from her hair. She lifted it off her head and looked at it, then at Tancred.

"I'm sorry." She said. To anyone in the room, it seemed as though she was talking to no one, but Tancred knew; she was sorry to part with the beautiful flowers that signified the electric change in their relationship.

With an agonizing lack of speed, Soleil removed every flower from her hair. The period was almost over by the time she had finished.

A small hill of wilting flowers lay on Manfred's desk.

"Now, take them outside and throw them away." He said. Soleil, expressionless, gathered the pile of flowers into her hands and walked towards the door regally. When she reached the door, she found she could not open it with her hands full. Tancred sent a silent breeze to twist the handle of the door and open it for her. She left the room without looking at him.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

When the study period had ended, Lysander pulled Tancred aside and began interrogating him.

"Where were you after lunch? Were you with _her?_" He asked, making 'her' sound like a curse.

Tancred pulled away from Lysander angrily.

"What do you care? She didn't do anything wrong. She didn't do _anything wrong!"_ He said, shouting the last sentence to his friends clustered around him. Electricity began to crackle loudly, and they backed away from him. His hair stood straight up.

Tancred broke free of the circle and strode off towards the entrance hall where he had spent last period with Soleil. He had seen how it had hurt her to take the flowers from her hair. He had seen how Manfred's hand on her wrist had burned her.

He raced down the hallways frantically, finally coming to a stop in the entrance hall. Soleil sat on the steps, laying the flowers one by one onto the tiny clouds that still floated above the floor. She hadn't noticed him yet.

When she had laid the last flower on the last cloud, she pushed them towards the window and kissed each cloud.

"Go." She said softly, her voice just barely reaching Tancred's ears. He knew the clouds would not move without his power behind them, and just as he was going to command the clouds to leave himself, they shot off outside, flying away.

Tancred found himself remembering an ancient law of Magick that his father had once told him: when an endowed person is in love, the one they love can control small bits of their magic.

Soleil had just commanded his clouds. And they had obeyed.

Tancred ran to Soleil. "Soleil." He said. "I—" But that was as far as he got, for she turned to him and began to cry.

"Tancred, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry Manfred made me take my flowers out. I loved them so much. I sent them away on the clouds—" She stopped, and her crying ceased as she realized what she had said.

"Tancred, _I _sent clouds! How can that be? I'm not endowed!" her amazement showed on her face; her eyes were wide, the unusual green color contrasting with her honey skin in a startling way; so startling that Tancred forgot to answer her.

When he finally remembered that she was waiting for an answer, he was shy.

"Well, there is this legend, that, er, says. That. If an endowed. Person." His words were halting. "If—if an endowed person," he took a deep breath and finished in one sentence: "fallsinlovethanthepersontheylovecancontroltheirmagicalittle." (falls in love, than the person they love can control their magic a little.)

Soleil looked confused for a moment while she deciphered his hasty speech. Then her face took on a carefully guarded look. She stared at him in a measured way for a moment, before looking away.

Tancred was sweating a little bit after the run through Bloor's he had endured. He stared at Soleil, waiting for her response; he had just indirectly told her he liked her, maybe even loved her. He was nervous and hot.

"Tancred—" she began, then stopped. "I—you—you just said…" she trailed off, understanding.

Tancred nodded eagerly, before realizing that she could reject him. She had known him for only a few days, and as strange as it seemed, he felt as if he had known her for all of his life.

He realized that his confession of his feelings for her could seem very strange after being friends for a couple days.

Soleil looked lost and scared. She rubbed her wrist, wincing, and closed her eyes to think, leaning against the stone wall.

Tancred looked at her burned wrist, the skin shiny in the red places. He cautiously reached out and lifted it; he felt her shift at his touch, but she kept her eyes closed.

Tancred stroked his long fingers across the burn; it felt hot and dry. He lifted it to his cheek and pressed it to his cool skin. He could feel the heat on his cheek.

Slowly but surely, Tancred pressed his lips to the burn. There was a soft sizzling sound, and when he looked at her wrist again, the burn had disappeared where he had kissed it. He continued to kiss her wrist, soft, chaste kisses, until the burn had disappeared entirely.

When it was gone, Soleil opened her eyes and looked at her wrist in wonder. Then she locked eyes with Tancred. She felt electricity coursing through her body, throbbing at her wrist as if her heart had relocated.

"Tancred," she began, but was silenced by his finger on her lips.

Tancred felt as if his whole body was burning, his lips were on fire. Soleil looked startled as his mouth began to redden.

"_Tancred, you took my burn onto your lips; you took it on yourself!"_ she cried in disbelief.

Tancred nodded mutely; it seemed as though his lips were fused together. The pain numbed his mind, blackening the edges of reality, burning it away; Soleil grew farther and farther away—then everything was black.

**WOO! ANOTHER CLIFFIE!!!! WOOOOOOO HOOO!**

**(im proud of myself!)**

**Look, only YOU can save Tancred from certain death! HOW? you may ask: the answer is clear:**

**PRESS THE GO BUTTON! (no im not guilt tripping you into reviewing, i mean, Tancred will only DIE if he gets less than 5 reviews on this chapter!!)**

**thanks in advance !**


	7. Tancred, Charlie and Soleil

**Hey everyone, I am quite sorry I haven't updated in ages; I got a new computer and I couldn't access until just recently, so here are two LONG chapters to appease you. Thanks, and sorry!**

**As I said before, I don't own anything except Soleil and the plot.**

Previous Chapter

_Tancred looked at her burned wrist, the skin shiny in the red places. He cautiously reached out and lifted it; he felt her shift at his touch, but she kept her eyes closed._

_Tancred stroked his long fingers across the burn; it felt hot and dry. He lifted it to his cheek and pressed it to his cool skin. He could feel the heat on his cheek._

_Slowly but surely, Tancred pressed his lips to the burn. There was a soft sizzling sound, and when he looked at her wrist again, the burn had disappeared where he had kissed it. He continued to kiss her wrist, soft, chaste kisses, until the burn had disappeared entirely._

_When it was gone, Soleil opened her eyes and looked at her wrist in wonder. Then she locked eyes with Tancred. She felt electricity coursing through her body, throbbing at her wrist as if her heart had relocated._

"_Tancred," she began, but was silenced by his finger on her lips._

_Tancred felt as if his whole body was burning, his lips were on fire. Soleil looked startled as his mouth began to redden._

"_Tancred, you took my burn onto your lips; you took it on yourself!"__ she cried in disbelief._

_Tancred nodded mutely; it seemed as though his lips were fused together. The pain numbed his mind, blackening the edges of reality, burning it away; Soleil grew farther and farther away—then everything was black._

**Chapter 7**

Soleil knelt over Tancred's body; he lay sprawled on the cold stone steps.

"Tancred, wake up! Wake up! Can you hear me?" she shook his frantically by the shoulders, making sure his head didn't bang the stone. "Tancred?" she whispered. There was no response, and she could see that he had indeed taken her burn on to his lips. Where his full, pink lips had been, there was a red mass that was dry and hot.

_He's going to die, _she thought. _And just for me. He said—he loved me._

Soleil tried to gather his body in her arms, and although she was tall, she was still some five inches shorter than he, and much lighter.

"I'm sorry, Tanc, I don't want to do this," she told him softly as she heaved him up under the arms and dragged him slowly towards the dormitories. She didn't know where she was going to take him, and what she was going to do. She dragged his dead weight down the long, cold corridors, often stepping on the hem of his green cloak as she walked backwards.

His head lolled forwards, and she paused to look at his face, walking more slowly. Suddenly, she collided with another person who was walking behind her in the silent corridor. She whirled around, still holding Tancred's upper body in a tight grasp.

"Charlie!" she whispered loudly. "You scared me half to death." She was breathing heavily, partly due to the exertion involved in lugging Tancred around, and partly out of relief that it was Charlie she had encountered, and not a Bloor.

"Are you alright, Soleil? You looked so upset when you left." He looked at her in a concerned way before seeing Tancred

"What happened to him?" he cried, alarmed. He knelt down and began shaking Tancred.

"Charlie, I can't explain now, do you know who can help him?" she asked, frantically. His face was a pale grey and tears shone in her eyes. Charlie was horrified to realize that he would rather help her so that she would like him more, not to help Tancred.

_That is the most horrible priority I have ever made. I swear never to prioritize people again._ He said to himself, shaken. Soleil began shaking with nervous energy.

"Help, Charlie. Please help me," she pleaded, tears spilling over. She dashed them away hard with her wrist, and Charlie winced at the sound her wrist bone made as it collided violently with her cheekbone. She grabbed Tancred under the arms again and continued dragging him frantically, tripping over his cloak over and over again. She fell, and stopped.

"I don't know where I'm going," she whispered, before slumping over Tancred, patting his face, stroking his hair.

"It will be alright, Tancred. Hang on there. Just think, when you wake up, we can go far away, and no one will ever be able to take my flowers from me," she whispered fiercely, smoothing away a tear that fell from her eye to his cheek with her thumb.

Charlie, who was about to take action, suddenly was struck with a notion: Tancred had given Soleil the beautiful flowers that were in her hair! Suddenly violently jealous, and angry with the affectionate way Soleil caressed Tancred's face, Charlie bent down and roughly took hold of Tancred's legs.

"Stand up," he ordered briskly, repeating himself before she had a chance to respond.

"Stand _up_!" and hauling Tancred's bottom half with Soleil carrying his top, Charlie led her to the kitchen lair of Cook.

He ducked into Cook's closet, pushing Tancred's body through the little concealed door within. He turned to look at Soleil, who was regarding him with distrust and sadness written across her smooth features.

"Come in," he said, his anger and jealousy towards Tancred swiftly evaporating at the sight of her wistful face. He felt deflated and embarrassed about his behavior. He felt redness creeping up his collar, and he cursed the genes that gave the trait to him. Hi crawled into Cook's hiding space, once again wondering how the ample woman managed to fit into it without any trouble.

Soleil followed, and found herself in a cozy little apartment set below the kitchen floor. The friendly-looking, overweight, motherly woman she had come to recognize as Cook was bustling about, making Tancred's distressed-looking form comfortable. She looked up at Soleil, who was struggling to stay composed at the sight of Tancred. The burn had spread across his face, and held his left eye fused shut.

Suddenly, she noticed something that made her chest tighten and her breath race in panic. The burn covered his mouth, and it was moving towards his nose.

"Cook! If we can't stop this, he'll suffocate!" she cried, kneeling down to stroke Tancred's face, murmuring softly and shaking with fright.

Charlie looked over at her, and his rage was rekindled twofold. He turned sharply to face the wall, trying furiously to interest himself in a little gold tree covered in blue glass ornaments. He accidentally smashed one between his trembling fingers. Cook turned to look at Charlie when she heard the tinkle of glass on the floor. He looked back at her, and his face crumpled as though he were about to cry. She understood him perfectly.

"Charlie, why don't you head back to the dormitories? We have an early bedtime tonight account the nasty weather that's coming in." Cook said, tenderly, laying a heavy hand on his shoulder.

Charlie looked at her for one long moment before turning to leave. Soleil turned from her post alongside Tancred and looked at Charlie. Her eyes met his, and suddenly she felt a great sadness weighing on her chest. She slowly stood, laying Tancred's hands across his chest.

"Charlie," she said quietly, but his nerves jangled at the sound that seemed to loud and fierce. She approached him cautiously, as though he posed a threat to her. His eyes were guarded as he looked at her, then away at the wall in a disinterested way. She crossed the small room until she stood right in front of him. She scooped her arms under his, and pulled him to her. Charlie stood still, not moving. She laid her head on her shoulder, and spoke to him.

"Thank you for bringing me here Charlie. I owe everything to you, and so does Tancred. You helped me when I began to panic. Charlie, you're a beautiful person. Truly." He shifted uncomfortably at the feeling of her breath blowing over his neck, causing the tiny hairs to stand on end.

He finally brought his arms up around her shoulders, and they stood that way for a brief moment.

"No problem," he said, his voice breaking slightly around the lump in his throat. Soleil took his face firmly in her hands and kissed his lips confidently. Somehow Charlie knew that the kiss was only a friendly one, and very chaste. Somewhat happier, he left Cook's apartment quickly and headed to the boy's dormitory.

**I do believe that you should review, although I have been a bad girl and not updated in something like 6 months. Please forgive me, and give me some reviews to boost my deflated ego. Thanks.**


	8. A struggle, an argument, and food

**I don't own anything except Soleil Shankar and the plot. Let me be.**

Previous Chapter

"_Thank you, Charlie, you saved Tancred," Soleil said, beaming. "No problem," he said, his voice breaking slightly around the lump in his throat. Soleil took his face firmly in her hands and kissed his lips confidently. Somehow Charlie knew that the kiss was only a friendly one, and very chaste. Somewhat happier, he left Cook's apartment quickly and headed to the boy's dormitory._

**Chapter 8**

Soleil turned back to Tancred as soon as Charlie was out of sight. She looked up at Cook, her eyes pleading.

"Cook, what can I do?" she cried. "By now, I'm sure he's going to die." The thought made her cry again, and her tears fell on his face. There was a soft sizzling sound, and Soleil looked at him in alarm. Where her tears had fallen, his skin was visible through the burn.

"I can't cry that much, Cook, look, it's spread down his neck," Soleil was breathless with adrenaline rushing through her veins wildly. She unbuttoned Tancred's collared shirt, and unfastened his cloak, exposing his chest to the cold air. He did not stir. Soleil rested her cheek against his.

"Tancred, wake up," she whispered urgently. "Wake _up!" _She pressed her lips to his cheek, unthinking of the consequences. She examined the place that she had kissed. To her surprise, the burn was neither on his cheek nor on her lips.

"Cook, it's working!" she cried, her eyes shining, and a tentative smile forming on her lips. "It's not coming on to my lips as it did to him, for I have already had the burn on me!" Cook stopped her frantic leafing through a thick book of remedies and peered energetically at Tancred's face.

"I do believe that you have found it, Soleil," she said kindly. "I'll go prepare something for him to eat when he wakes up," she said, before heaving herself off her chair and walking slowly down a narrow hallway to her private kitchen, leaving Soleil and Tancred alone.

Soleil kissed his eyes, which were both covered by the spreading burn. She kissed his cheeks, and his chin, until she realized that his breath had stopped. His nose was covered by the burn, and he could not breathe. She rapidly kissed his nose, freeing it, and feeling his breath return. She paused when she reached his mouth, then kissed him, not only to free it from the burn, but also to tell him she was there.

She looked at his face for a moment, so serene and beautiful without the blemishing burn across it, and smiled. Then she began to kiss his neck, seeing the pale skin revealed from underneath the shiny, dry red of the burn. She reached his chest, and ran her hands down the warm skin before kissing it. The burn had spread to his navel, and as the last of it disappeared, she knelt to look at Tancred.

His chest rose and fell softly with each breath, and his long blonde hair was pushed back from his face.

"Tancred, wake up please. You're free now, and I'm here. Come back," she said, gazing at him. She kissed his lips again, for a longer time, thankful that he was safe. He stirred, and she started back, surprised.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, and she smiled to see the blue-grey shining.

"Tancred, you're back!" she cried, lifting him to a sitting position and embracing him, enjoying the feel of her hands on his strong back. Tancred looked at her in awe.

"You saved me," he stated, gazing at her seriously. She nodded a small nod.

"Yes, but Charlie helped, and so did Cook," she said modestly. "But that's not important. How do you feel?" she asked worriedly, pressing her hand to his forehead to check for extra heat. "You seem a little warm," she remarked, pouring him a glass of water. "Drink it," she said, pushing the cup into his hand.

He drank it with closed eyes, finishing the entire glass. He set the cup on the floor, then looked at her again.

"You kissed me," he said flatly. She blushed and looked down.

"Yes, I did, but that was the only way to—" she gestured at him as he interrupted her,

"Yes, but you _kissed_ me, right before I woke up," he said. She shook her head firmly, moving away from him.

"Tancred, don't think about that right now," she said firmly. "I want to thank you for saving me back there. I want to thank you for the beautiful flowers, and the clouds, and your listening ear, and your forgiving hears, and for kissing the burn away from me," she said, her voice softening.

"Okay, that's no big deal, but you know you kissed me on the—"

"Tancred! Did you hear me?!" she cried indignantly, looking at him in shock. "I just thanked you for saving my life and all you can say is 'you kissed me,'" she said, imitating him rudely. Tancred looked at her for a long, tense moment, before turning away from her, embarrassed and disturbed.

"I'm sorry Soleil," he whispered, his voice hoarse, before briskly turning to peer at her curiously.

"Where are we?" he asked, his voice tinged with sadness.

"Cook's quarters. Secret," she said shortly, before turning to look at the wall awkwardly. When she looked at him, he was peering at her curiously as though she were some sort of novelty, and she noticed a strange, frightened light in his eyes.

"What is it, Tancred?" she asked him cautiously, afraid of his unpredictable temper.

"I told you I loved you," he stated emotionlessly. He turned blank eyes on her for a moment before turning his fidgeting gaze loose around the room. He poured himself another glass of water, his movements jerky, but didn't drink it. After a moment, he set the glass back on the floor.

"Yes, you did, Tancred," she said softly, not knowing what he wanted. A beat passed."And I have got an answer for you," she said, her voice cracking. She cleared her throat noisily.

The life came back into his blue-grey eyes and he looked at her in respect and awe before looking down and fidgeting with his hands.

"What…what is it?" he asked, his voice barely audible. He had never been in such a situation before, and he was afraid. More afraid than he had ever been. Ever.

"I like you, Tancred. I like you a lot." She said bravely. "You know, I love you. That's so… different for me. I've never _loved_ someone. I mean, besides my family, of course. And this is all so sudden. I've known you for nearly a week, and that's all. Of course, I do spend most of my academic classes with you, and I am rarely without you, but…" she trailed off, realizing that she was rambling.

Tancred leaned closer to her, but she, suddenly aware that he wasn't wearing a shirt, backed away.

"You're not—dressed," she faltered, before giving up and embracing him.

"Soleil," he said, as a reminder "you kissed me."

"Yes, I did," she said, suddenly feeling a last rush of adrenaline after she thought she had no more left in her.

"You kissed me, like _this_," he said, holding her back and her head in one fluid movement, she could feel the muscles of his chest ripple as he moved.

_Gods, someone who's almost 15 should not be that fit, _she thought euphorically. _But I think I can deal with it._ She smiled, and closed her eyes as he kissed her again and again.

"Tancred, Tancred," she murmured, when they broke apart. She began to button his shirt for him. "Cook's got something on the stove for you," she said generously.

His face lit up even more, if it was possible. "Fantastic!" he cried "I'm starving!" he headed towards the kitchen when she pointed the way.

As he walked down the hallway, she could hear his voice mingling with Cook's jolly loud one, and she smiled.

Suddenly, her smile vanished as she realized that there was an early bedtime.

_Oh no! Lights out is in only 7 minutes! _She though frantically_. Where are we going to sleep?_

**Look, Tancred came alive again just so that you would review! Why don't you?? Do you **_**want**_** to just dump him back into his grave? I thought not. Don't you want to know where he'll spend the night?? I do! SO REVIEW!**


	9. Evening Insanity

**Nothing I Own. Kill Me Not.**

Previous Chapter

"_You kissed me, like this," he said, holding her back and her head in one fluid movement, she could feel the muscles of his chest ripple as he moved._

Gods, someone who's almost 15 should not be that fit,_ she thought euphorically. _But I _think_ I can deal with it_. She smiled, and closed her eyes as he kissed her again and again._

"_Tancred, Tancred," she murmured, when they broke apart. She began to button his shirt for him. "Cook's got something on the stove for you," she said generously._

_His face lit up even more, if it was possible. "Fantastic!" he cried "I'm starving!" he headed towards the kitchen when she pointed the way._

_As he walked down the hallway, she could hear his voice mingling with Cook's jolly loud one, and she smiled._

_Suddenly, her smile vanished as she realized that there was an early bedtime._

_Oh no! Lights out is in only 7 minutes! She thought frantically. Where are we going to sleep?_

**Chapter 9**

Soleil could hear Tancred and Cook bustling about in the kitchen; the sound of the pot opening and some stew being ladled into a bowl.

"Thanks, Cook," said Tancred earnestly.

"Anytime, dear. Anything for a friend of Charlie. Eat up, regain your strength," Cook said.

Soleil picked up Tancred's water glass from the floor and took a sip. Slowly, she wandered down the hallway to the kitchen. She thought slowly as she walked. Lights out was in three minutes, and she was sure she and Tancred couldn't get back to the dorms in time for lights out with tooth brushing to be done. It was embarrassing to ask Cook to let them sleep in her apartment, and considering how angry Charlie was at Tancred and Soleil, she couldn't impose upon Cook's hospitality any longer. She entered the kitchen, holding the glass tightly. Cook and Tancred looked up from their bowls and conversation. Soleil placed Tancred's glass in the sink, having drunk all its contents. She looked at Tancred.

"Tanc, we have to go. It's early bedtime tonight. Even if we run, I doubt we'll make lights out," she said, a frown crossing her face. Tancred stood abruptly, the sound of his chair rasping on the brown tile floor. He tugged at his bangs in deference to Cook.

"Thanks, Cook. Your cooking is, as usual, stellar," he said, gathering his bowl and spoon and placing them in the sink. "I would offer to wash dishes—"

"And so would I," interrupted Soleil.

"—But Soleil and I have to beat a rather strict deadline—lights out you know," said Tancred, tugging his bangs again. Cook pushed back her chair and stood; she frowned and wiped her hands on her apron.

"You two had better run if you're going to make it," she said, looking at a large, ornate clock above the stove that was painted with mysterious, pulsing colors. "In fact, you probably won't make it," she said firmly. "You won't," she said, placing her hands on broad hips. "You'll have to find somewhere to sleep, I'm sorry I can't keep you here; I have to leave the grounds tonight," she said, bustling about, shoving pots and pans into a large carpet bag. Tancred met Soleil's eyes despairingly. He strode across the small kitchen and took her by the forearm, leading her out of Cook's abode.

"Thanks for the hospitality," he called over his shoulder. Soleil broke away from him, running back to grasp Cook's hand. She smiled earnestly.

"Thank you," she said. Cook smiled and nodded, patting Soleil's hand. She ran back to Tancred and followed him to the door out. They slipped through the cafeteria quietly and quickly. As they stood in the silent, dark hallway, their backs to the wall, they peered through the dark. Soleil took Tancred's hand in her own and they crept down the hallway. Something rustled in the hall, and two yellow spots of light appeared far down the hall, near the door. They bobbed and swayed and blinked, as though they were eyes.

_Eyes. _The word seared into Tancred's brain as he realized that it could be Asa they were facing. He looked around the hall frantically and ran towards a closet, opening the door and shoving Soleil inside before she could make a sound. Asa sprang forward and snarled, the bestial sound ripping from his throat in a primitive tone. Tancred leapt into the closet, his foot landing on Soleil's ankle, and slammed the door, making a terrific racket in the silent corridor. Soleil was breathing hard, pressing on her ankle with her hand, her face scrunched up. Tancred moved off her ankle and apologized hastily in a worried whisper.

"Are you alright?" he whispered, his voice shaking. Soleil pressed her lips together tightly. Thank god they couldn't see what sort of damage had been done to her ankle in the dark.

"Yes," she said shortly. They could hear the beast outside the door, clawing it and snuffling around the doorjamb. Suddenly, men's voices were heard in the distance, and getting nearer. "We need to get out of here," she said, her voice panicky. She stood, nearly falling when she tried to put weight on her swollen ankle. She looked down at it distrustfully. "We have to get out," she murmured, more to herself than to him

Tancred was about to tell her how impossible that would be when she shoved the closet door open and grabbed his hand, running at full speed out towards the main lobby. Her ankle buckled wildly, making her stumble drunkenly down the hall. Asa sprang at her, snarling, his claws glinting dully in the low light. Soleil kicked him in the chest with all her might, standing on her bad leg. As she kicked, her ankle buckled and she fell to the ground, sliding forward with her momentum. Asa rolled and snarled on the ground, paws grappling wildly at his barrel chest . Soleil struggled to her feet, blood trickling down her shin.

"Go away!" she screamed, and suddenly began to run in a lopsided circle, pulling Tancred after her. She turned to him desperately. "Make it rain, just inside this little circle," she whispered urgently. Tancred looked at her, confused. She glared. "Do it!" she urged. She continued running in the circle, letting go of his hand and twirling ungracefully, flapping her arms. "Look like you know what you're doing," she hissed. Footsteps sounded in the empty corridor, echoing in the dear air. Tancred didn't look around, making small bursts of rain and wind gust through the hallway while Soleil continued her antics, adding a yodeling sort of song to accompany her strange movements.

Her ankle, he could see, even in the low light, was very swollen. It protruded from the rest of her leg in a grotesque manner. She stumbled and stumbled, nearly falling many times, and when she faced him, he could see tears and sweat on her face and pain in her eyes. She smiled sweetly, grinding her teeth against the pain. He guessed that it was broken, maybe worse. He couldn't understand why she was forcing herself to run and twirl in giddy circles like this. He closed his eyes to block the grotesque sight from his mind. He had stepped on her ankle and caused this, she was stumbling around like a drunken fool, screaming at the top of her lungs in some otherworldly voice and language. Blood was smeared over her shin and calf, dripping over her swollen ankle and into her shoe. As she danced, Tancred saw her stumble and wipe the blood off her leg and smear it on her arms.

_Why was she doing this?_ He wondered, utterly bewildered. His face was damp with perspiration. Two people stopped walking the corridor and stood, watching Soleil and Tancred's strange dance. Suddenly, Soleil's ankle gave way, and she fell to the ground, curled into fetal position, her face grey. Blood was smeared on the marble floor. Tancred kept running around the circle, and Soleil kept screaming the strange song. The entire situation was surreal, the chanting, screaming song with words he couldn't understand, the rain washing down on Soleil's curled body, diluting the smeared blood on her body and making her clothes stick to her skin. Her hair was clinging to itself in lank ropes, and the rain masked the sweat and tears mingling freely on her face.

Tancred continued running around the circle, calling rain silently. He began running faster and faster, tears beginning to come to his eyes. He ran and ran until... he collided with a firm body. Manfred. Shaken, Tancred tried not to meet his eyes, but stood, rubbing his knees, and continued running. He collided with Dr. Bloor, who had planted himself in Tancred's way. Again, Tancred stood and continued. He collided with Manfred again, and he bit his lip to stifle the cries of frustration he longed to let out. Finally , after crashing into Dr. Bloor and Manfred over and over, he stopped running around, and ran to the center of the circle, lying on the wet floor next to Soleil. He put his arm over her protectively as she continued to scream her song, her voice taking on a dreadful hoarse quality. The tones sounded shredded, as though he was hearing them through a curtain of knives. The rain continued in a furious torrent, until, suddenly, Tancred fell onto his back, utterly spent, and it stopped.

He lay on his back, eyes staring at the ceiling, blinking slowly and sleepily. Soleil rolled onto her back as well, still singing, her voice full of cracks and sobs. Her shoulders heaving, she stood, making sure the Bloors didn't see her bad ankle, and raised her arms to the ceiling, singing, screaming, as loudly as her spent larynx would allow. She continued for five minutes or more; time seemed to stop, the only thing being the eerie sound, painful to the ears, and the broken girl, terrible to see with blood on her body and matted hair. She swayed when she tried to put weight on her ankle, but righted herself and sang and sang, until her voice box could give no more. Her song was reduced to a thin whisper with just a hint of melancholy tone behind it, and then it was only her mouth moving, no sound coming out save for a raspy stream of air that stuttered and stumbled like an old man breathing in his sleep. The hall was silent.

Manfred and Dr. Bloor didn't move as Tancred sat up slowly, wincing as his aching body protested furiously. He felt as though the grout that held the very floor in place was tied to him as well. He could feel its great gravitational pressure against his legs as he fought to stand, against his eyelids as he fought to keep them open, and against his trust for Soleil, which he could feel slipping. Just as the mutinous thought passed through his mind, Soleil looked at him and smiled. Immediately, all doubt he had felt drained away, leaving him feeling unsatisfied and wasted, but secure in her plan, whatever it was.

She winked at him once, then turning to face Dr. Bloor, she rolled her eyes back and collapsed to the floor, motionless. Tancred held his breath. Was she dead? Had she fainted, exhausted? What was going on? His eyes roamed her desolate soggy figure slowly. She was on her side, her arms wrapped around her abdomen securely. Her swollen ankle was hidden beneath the dripping folds of her skirt. Blood soaked through the part of the skirt around her shin, slightly diluted by the rainwater. Her hair was stringy, stuck to her face and neck, tangled in her necklace chain and around her ears and eyebrows.

As he gazed at her, he thought that if they were in a story, now would be the time he would think of his love: '_she's beautiful,_' acknowledging some sort of wild beauty that loves in books always found within each other at times when anyone else would disagree. That was his duty, to think her beautiful.

But for some reason, the words sounded false in his head. She didn't look beautiful at all. Blood was drying under her short fingernails and caking the skirt to her abused skin. There were spots of color high on her cheeks, but her skin held a grayish tint that dulled her beauty significantly, and without the wild, nearly living hair springing about, she could be an ordinary girl. And then he remembered.

She _was_ an ordinary girl. She had no endowment. She was at Bloor's to trick the Bloor family. She had a bet with her own family. She wanted a good education at a good school, and Bloor's was the place she thought she could get into. She did. She was as ordinary as ordinary could be. She was the same as all the other children at Bloors, but without the rich parents. She was living a lie right under the Bloor's noses and she thought she could succeed.

She _thought,_ he thought bitterly. She was so deceitful. He had given her flowers, and for what? She had gotten burned because she wanted to keep them. Then he had gotten burned trying to help her. He had made her like him, but somehow, he wouldn't take full blame for the whole mess. She had enchanted him somehow. Was it her weird way of moving? Her unconventional ideas and intense attitude? Her _hair?_ Or was she endowed after all, employed by the very Bloor family? Had she lied to them all, luring them into her web of lies like a spider? Or was she really just a normal girl, as common as common could be?

_She can't possibly keep up this charade for long,_ he thought. _She's going to crack, Bloor will kill her.__Or hurt her._ _It's so easy. A lonely girl falls out of a tall tower; an unruly student wanders into the ruin alone; a student breaking the rules gets lost and eaten by a wolf. It's so easy to make people disappear,_ he thought bitterly, as he slumped to the floor again. He looked up and saw the imposing figure of Dr. Bloor over him. He saw Manfred lift Soleil, and instead of the rough, angry way he usually touched things, he lifted her tenderly, stroking her face with his terrible palms and cradling her body. All of Tancred's anger managed only to knock him unconscious, and the last thing he felt was Dr Bloor roughly yanking him into his arms...

**Sorry... had to end it there. I'm sorry it's so short. All summer long, I am home only on weekends, and that's the only time I have access to a computer. Please forgive me. And reviews are greatly appreciated. Thanks!**


	10. Author's Note

Hey Guys,

I'm really sorry it's been more than a year since my last update.

Lots has been going on (my mom was really sick for 9 months, and other unfortunate happenings). Please find it somewhere in your benevolent hearts to forgive me.

I just read over this, and I've found that it's actually pretty darn bad. I can think of no way to salvage it, except to write it over, which I have no time to do in any sort of quality manner.

So this is to say, that this story, has unfortunately ground to an indefinite halt. I am all for writing one-shots, but a big piece likes this requires more writing and editing time than I can spare currently. I'll probably be writing Harry Potter one-shots unless you want something different.

Also, I've just updated my profile after two years of appearing as 14. It kind of slipped my mind to maybe UPDATE it when I turned 16, but such is life.

If you have an idea on something for me to write, or you want a betareader (I have plenty of time for that!) PM me, and I'll do good things.

Thanks for understanding, and sorry times about ten billion trillion.

TTL

p.s. I'm thinking of changing my pen name. Any ideas?


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